Electric burglar-alarm



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. oHINNocK, OEBROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC BURGLAR-ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 260,536, dated July 4, 1882.

Application filed April 8, 18S-2.

rlhe object of my improvement is to enablev the watchmen at the station or office to ascertain Whether an alarm which is given at the station or office is caused by an effort to eiect an entrance through a window in the structure to be guarded, through a door in said structure, or from any accident to the wires which connect the said structure with the station or oiice.

My improvement consists in a novel means whereby an alarm proceeding from a source located between the station or oflice and a structure to be guarded may be distinguished from others.

It also consists in novel means whereby an inmate of a structure to be guarded can signal a watchman at the station or office, and vice versa.

It also consists in means whereby an alarm occasioned by the opening of a Window at a structure to be guarded can at the station or office be distinguished from an alarm occasioned by an eifort to gain entrance through a door, a wired partition, or other like article.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view of an electric burglar-alarm embodyin g my improvement.

All the devices which are located in the sta-,

and intended for application to a large number.

A designates a battery located in the station or oflice.

B designates a Wire connecting it to the ground, and B designates a Wire extending and has a tendency to drop forward.

(No model.)

therefrom to the coil of a galvanometer, G. From the galvanometer C the wire B leads to the contact-point a of a switch, D, which is always closed upon the said contactpoint when the burglar-alarm is in use. 'lo this switch is fastened a wire, E, which proceeds from the station or office to the structure to be guarded. This wire has a covering of gutta-percha or other suitable insulating material, B2. The needle ofthe galvanometer G, when vibrated sufficiently in either direct-ion, makes contact with one of two contactpoints, b, which are connected together by a wire, b'. One of them has also connected to it one end of the'wire F of a local circuit, which at the other end is fastened to the needle of the galvanometer or its pivot. This localcircuit Wire is connected with a battery, F', and with an electro-magnetic callor alarm-bell, F2. This electro-magnet bell consists of a bell, an electro-magnet whose coils are connected to the wire F, and an armature carrying the hammer of the bell. When the needle makes contact with either of the contact-points b the electriccall or alarm bell is rung.

G designates another battery in the station or ofce.

H designates a wire leading therefrom to the ground, and Hdesignatesa Wire leading therefrom to an electro-magnetic annunciator, H2, thence to the contact-point c of a switch, H3, and from this switch it proceeds out of the station or oflice. Passing outsidethe station or office, it is wound spirally around the eXterior of the insulating material B2 of the wire E.

The electric annunciator consists of an electro-magnet, d, whose coils of wire are connected With the Wire H and an armature, d', provided with a hook engaging with a plate, d2, which is hinged in place at the lower end When thearn1ature is attracted its hook releases the said plate and the latter drops forward and exhibits a number indicating the structure to be guarded, with which it is combined. As the plate d2 in falling forward will make a considerable noise, it constitutes an audible, as well as a visual signal. Any other audible signal of suitable kind may be used with it,

if desirable. The switch H3 is ad jnsted to its contact-point c during the day only. At night it is shifted against a contact-point, c', which IOO is connected by a wire, B5, to the wire E. The wire E enters the structure to be guarded, and is connected to the coils of electro-magnets I, wound and connected together, so that they will be of diierent polarity. These electromagnets, as here shown, are supported by a strap or t'rame,1', which is fastened to and extends from one pole of a permanent magnet, J. To the other pole ot' this permanent magnet is pivoted a bar, J', so that it can vibrate between the opposite poles of the electro-magnets I. This bar J is polarized with the permanent magnet J, and constitutes a polarized armature for the electro-magnets I. Hence it will always be repelled by one of the electro-magnets and attracted by the other, no matter in which direction an electric current is passed through their coils. The bar or armature J is connected with the coil of the lefthand electro-magnet by a wire, B4, and at its upper end it carries a contact-piece, B5. This contact-piece B5 always bears against one or the other of two contact-pieces, B5 B", which are connected to the permanent magnet, but insulated therefrom and from each other. When no current passes through the wire B' a light spring, B5, shifts the said bar or armature to the right, so as to bring its contact-piece B5 against the contact-piece B5. When, however, the switch D is closed and a current from the batteryA passes through the coils of the electro-magnets I the right-hand electro-magnet is caused to repel and the left-hand electromagnet to attract the bar or armature to the let't. Its contact-piece B5 is thereby shifted into contact with the contact-piece B1. A wire, B11, extends from the contact-piece BT to one of a pair of colitactpieccs, c e', on the frame or casin g of a window, K. A wire, B15, extends from the other of these contact-pieces to one of a pair of contact-pieces, fj, also arranged on the frame or casing of the window. From the other of the last-mentioned contact-pieces a wire, B11, extends. When thc sashes ot' the window are closed the pairs of contact-pieces c c' and f j" are pressed together, and the circuit extends through them 5 but when either sash is opened the inner contact-piece of the pair controlled by that sash separates from its fellow, owing to its resilience, and the circuit is broken. The wire B11 extends to one of a pair of contactpieces, g g', through which the circuit is continued to a door, L. A wire, B12, traverses the door, and is connected by a pair of contactpieces, L h', with a wire, B15, leading to a resistance-coil, M, and thence to a wire, H5, which extentie to the ground. When the door L is opened the pairs of contact-pieces g g' and h h are separated, and the circuit is broken. If the door is cut through, the wire B12, which traverses it, is severed, and the circuit is of course broken. A wire, B14, extends from the contact-piece B5 to the wire B11. The wire H is connected to a switch, N, located in the structure to be guarded. This switch may be shifted against a contact-piece, ,but it is never to be in contact therewith exceptwhen the inmates ofthe structure to be guarded may, during the day, desire to signal the watchmen at the station or oftice. At other times the wire H is not in circuit, or, in other words, does not form part of a continuons circuit except under circumstances which will be hereinafter explained. A wire, H1, connects this contactpiece i with the coils of the electro-magnet of an electro-magnetic bell, O, and the wire H5 connects the coils of this electro-magnet with the ground. When an inmate of the structure to be guarded desires to signal a watchman at the station or ofce he shifts the switch N 8o against the contact-piece fi. As the switch H5 in the station or office is then bearing against the contact-piece c the plate d2 of the annunciator H2 is dropped, and the watchman thereby signaled.

The electro-magnetic bell O has a polarized armature, p, of such polarity that the current from the battery G will magnetize the electromagnets of the said bell, so that they will repel the armature. Vhen the watchman is signaled this bell O will not therefore be rung. The watchman, when signaled, switches oft' the battery F', and by means ot' a switch, P, switches on a battery, Q, whereby an electric current will he sent in the reverse direction through the coils of the said electro-magnets. Then the electro-magnets will attract the arm ature and ring the bell. 'lhe inmates of the structure to be guarded will then know that their signal was received. Conversation can then be carried on through the telephone, it necessary. 'lhis feature of my improvement is important, as an inmate ot' a structure to be guarded frequently desires to communicate with a watchman at the station or oiiice, and

needs to do so when he is about to lock up and leave the structure to be guarded, so that the watchman shall shift the switch H11 againstits contactpiece c.

It is not necessary to employ the switch P, the battery Q, and the wire leading from this battery to the ground, orto polarize the armature p of the electromagnetic bell 0, for the watchman at the station or oiiice can signal to the inmates of the structure to be guarded by making and breaking the circuit with the switch H5.

It' while the burglar -alarm is set for the night with the switch H5 against the contactpiece c a. wire or other article not comprised in the burglar-alarm should fall upon the wire H', and establish electric communication between it and the ground, the galvanometer C will be affected, so as to indicate the fact to the watchmen at the station or oice.

The openingof the window K will, as before explained, break the electric circuit, and when this happens the bar or armature J ot' the electro-magnets I will be drawn to the right by the spring B8. The circuit will then extend through `the wire B11 to the wire B11, thence to the wire B12 of the door L, and thence along IOO IIO

` tion andremain there.

the wire B13 to the ground. As soon as the circuit is completedagain in this manner the electro-magnets I will move thel said bar or armature to the left; but, as the circuit cannot be continued through the contact-piece B, the electro-magnets will be demagnetized, and the bar or armature will move to the right again,l and its contact-piece B5 will make contact with the contact-piece B6. The circuit being thus again completed through the wires B14, B11, B12, and- B13, the electro-magnets will again shift the bar or armature to the left and break the circuit. This operation will continue and the bar or armature will bekept constantly vibrating. The making and-breakin g ofthe circuit through the vibrations of the bar or armature will be indicated by constant vibrations of the galvanometer-needle at the station or office. It' desirable, another battery may be y then switched on, so as to send a reverse electric current through the electro-magnets I, whereupon the bar or armature will be held with its contact-piece against the contact-piece BG and the circuit kept complete through the wires B14, B, Blz, and B13. The vibrations of the galvanometer -needle will then be stopped. The same result can be accomplished by the use of a reversing-key.

Should the door be cut through or opened instead of thewindow, the circuit will be broken and will remain broken. The galvanometer-needle will then be shifted to one posi- The constant vibrations ot the galvanometer-needlc caused by the opening ot' the window will be easily distin guished from the single vibration which it' will make when the door is cut through or opened. Heneethewatchman willknowwhere an attempt to eft'ect an entrance into the structure to be guarded is being made.

The switch H3 will enable the watchinen to easily determine whether au alarm proceeds from the cutting or opening of theldoor or the contact of a wire or other article with the wire H should any doubt arise on that point, for it' it occurs from the latter cause then the shifting of the said switch away rom the contact-piece c' will cause the alarm to cease, but if it arises from the former canse'the shifting of the switch will have no effect on the alarm.

It is obvious that the electro-magnets I, the armature J', with its contact-piece B5, and the contact-pieces BG and B"I form an electro-magnetic switch and anelectro-magnetic circuitbreaker.

The insulating material B2 of the wire B would ot' course prevent any contact of another wre or any article with the wire B 5 but as the material is liable to become broken or worn through, it could not be relied on. For this reason I use the wire H', so that an alarm will be given as soon as any wire or article makes contact with it. Then the diiiculty can be remedied before injury is done to the insulating material, and all uncertainty as to the source of an alarm is avoided.

Any number of windows may be placed in circuit similarly to the window K, and any number etdoors or wired covcrin gs, partitions, sky-lights, or like articles may beincluded in the circuit in a manner similar to the door L. It will be understood that the window K is really in a tap in the electric circuit.

Ot' course the window might be in the main circuit and the door and like devices in the tap.

Obviously any suitable velectric conductor surrounding the insulating` material B2 may be used in lieu of that portion et' the wire Il which surrounds said insulating` material.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In an electric burglar-alarm, the combination, with a wire covered with insulating material leading from the station or ottiee where watch is kept to a structure to be guarded, ot' a wire or conductor surrounding the insulating material ot the same and connected at one end with a battery, but unconnected at the other end with an electrical conductor, and adevice at the station or ottice connected with it for giving au alarm, substantially as specified.

2. In an electric burglar-alarm, the combinationfwith a wire covered with insulating material leading from the station or oftiee where watch is kept to a structure to be guarded, of a wire or conductor surrounding the insulating material ot' the saine and connected at one end with a battery but unconnected at the other end with an electrical conductor, a device at the station or oiitice connected with it for giving an alarm, and a switch at the station or ofiice, whereby the surrounding wire or conductor may be disconnected from the battery and alarm device, substantially as specified.

3. ln an electric burglar-alarm, the combination, with a wire covered with insnlatin g material leading from the station or oflice where watch is kept to a structure to be guarded, et' a wire or conductor surrounding the insulating material of the same, and connected at one end with a battery but normally unconnected at the other end with an electrical conductor, an alarm device connected at the station or oftice with the surrounding wire or conductor, a switch connected to said surrounding wire or conductor at the structure to be guarded, and a wire leading to the ground, with which said switch may be put in contact, substantially as specified.

4. In an electric burglar-alarm, the combination, with the wire B', covered with insulating material B2, of the surrounding wire H', the switch H3, the battery G, a device for giving an alarm at the station or oiiice, the switch N, and the electro-magnetic bell O, substantially as specified.

5. In an electric burglar-alarm, the combination, with a wire leading from the station or otice where watch is kept, a portion ot` thc electric circuit, including a door, a wired parA tition, or other like article, and a tap from said portion ofthe electric circuit, including a, window, or vice versa, ofnn electro-magnetic switch located at the structure to be guarded and operating in conjunction with the portion of the electric circuit and the tap therefrom, before referred to, substantially as specified.

6. In nn electric burglar-alarm, the combination, with a wire lending from the station or oiicc where watch is kept, n portion of the electric circuit, including a door, a wired portition, or other like article, and a tap from said portion of the electric circuit, including a Window, or vicc versn, ofen electro-magnetic switch and circuit-breaker located at the structure to be guarded and operating in conjunction with the portion of the clectriccircuit and the tap therefrom, before referred to, substantially as specified.

7. 1n an electric burglar-alarm, the combination, with a wire leading from the station or otce where watch is kept, a portion ot the electric circuit, including a, door, a. wired partition, or other like article, and a tap from said portion ot' the electric circuit including a. window, or vice versa, ot' the electromagnetic. I, polarized armature J', spring B8, and contactpieces B5 Bf B7, substantially as specitied.

C. E. OHINNOC K.

Vituesscs:

T. J. KEANE, J AMES It. BOWEN. 

